Makai Branch

Published: Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 21, 2009 at 10:53 a.m.

Facts

About the series

Makai Branch is a part of the Class of 2022 project. The StarNews will be following him and 11 other area students from kindergarten through high school graduation, to see through their eyes what it's like growing up in Southeastern North Carolina during changing times.

Described by Hancock and dad Marcel Branch as an imaginitive free spirit with a perfectionist streak, Makai likes music, superheroes and science. It's possible that he'll study dinosaurs when he grows up, although he hasn't ruled out being a superhero who can run really fast.

Makai also knows his dance moves. Just ask, and he'll flip up into a headstand with a horizontal split, then drop into a back-bend followed by a series of spins on his knees.

Makai's parents have talked to him about being bi-racial - Hancock is white, Branch is African-American - because they're a little concerned about identity issues that might arise from not looking quite like any of his classmates.

“We've created safe environments where we know diversity is accepted, so he's not really been outside of that without our company,” Hancock said. “It will be interesting to see how he begins to identify himself based on other children's reflection of him.”

For now, Makai is looking forward to making new friends in school and learning how to spell. In the future, his parents predict a willingness to try new things and an unconventional career choice.

<p>Tadpoles Oggy-noo-goo, Boggy-noo-goo and Short-gally live on Makai Branch's front porch.</p><p>Those aren't nonsense names. They're “Hun,” the ancient language 5-year-old Makai decided he spoke at the beginning of the summer.</p><p>“He will talk in it for extended periods of time,” mom Kristine Hancock said. “It's pretty consistent.”</p><p>Described by Hancock and dad Marcel Branch as an imaginitive free spirit with a perfectionist streak, Makai likes music, superheroes and science. It's possible that he'll study dinosaurs when he grows up, although he hasn't ruled out being a superhero who can run really fast.</p><p>Makai also knows his dance moves. Just ask, and he'll flip up into a headstand with a horizontal split, then drop into a back-bend followed by a series of spins on his knees.</p><p>Makai's parents have talked to him about being bi-racial - Hancock is white, Branch is African-American - because they're a little concerned about identity issues that might arise from not looking quite like any of his classmates.</p><p>“We've created safe environments where we know diversity is accepted, so he's not really been outside of that without our company,” Hancock said. “It will be interesting to see how he begins to identify himself based on other children's reflection of him.”</p><p>For now, Makai is looking forward to making new friends in school and learning how to spell. In the future, his parents predict a willingness to try new things and an unconventional career choice.</p><p>“It'll be creative, no matter what,” Branch said. “Even if it's not something traditionally creative, he'll find creative ways of doing it.”</p><p><i>-- Chelsea Kellner</i></p>